January 2002

Thank you so much for your prayers for the Zerma people and for those that minister to the Zerma.  2001 was a very good - albeit busy year for the team and many of your prayers were answered.  As we look back over the year of events, we think of the many times that you have held up the people and work here by the power of prayer. We hope to send you an update of the year soon. Thank you so much for your Kingdom work.

January Prayer Requests:
1 - Tuesday -Happy New Year! Pray that the Lord of the Harvest would send forth laborers to help us reach the Zerma people.  Pray that every Zerma, even in the farthest village, would have opportunity to hear the Good News.

2 - Wednesday - Rick will be attending a West Africa Orientation for these next two weeks in Abidjan.  Pray for him as he travels, as he will be in classes - and missing out on Zarma language study.  Pray that he will learn much and not forget his Zarma!

3 - Thursday - Please continue to pray for the Niger Pepper Project. Many facets of the project concerning several villages are being brought together. If it all works, people should have more food and income and the love of God spread.

4 - Friday - Praise the Lord for Jessica Landry who is answering the call to come to Ouallam this summer to join the Zerma team for a few months.  Pray for her as she prepares to come - both mentally, physically -- and Spiritually.  Pray for others that the Lord may be calling to come to join the Zerma team.

5 - Saturday - Praise the Lord that Rick and Sido are able to meet weekly. Sido has been having Rick into his home.  Pray as Rick learns the language and culture from Sido, that Sido can learn the love of Jesus from Rick. Sido seems very interested in Christianity.  Pray that Rick will be able to communicate in love so that Sido will truly understand.

6 - Sunday - Bring your prayer to the Lord today for Pastor Balarba. He leads the church in his house ministering to his and 4 surrounding villages. Pray for Balarba as teaches literacy, tells the Bible stories, and ministers in the area of Say.  Pray that the Spirit would equip him to carry out his work and that he would continue to grow in his personal walk with God.  Pray that he would live a life of integrity that is beyond reproach.

7 - Monday -Pray for us as we "model" Christianity through our daily lives and our interactions with the Zerma people.   Pray that we would be like Christ in our attitudes and actions.  Pray that each of us would have evidence of a strong personal relationship with God.

8 - Tuesday - Deanna meets with at least 8 women in her neighborhood for Storying sessions.  This is very exciting as it seems the Lord is doing even more than we asked for - or expected!  Thank you for your prayers.  As Deanna was preparing lessons for 3 of the women from the church, Aissa asked to study as well, along with some of her friends that are not Christian. Deanna was feeling overwhelmed and wishing she had a Christian woman that could help her - and guess who knocked on the door - but a Christian woman, Fanta, that would like to join her study.  After they discussed the literature and methods, Fanta asked if she could teach it!!!  Please pray for Deanna and Fanta as they lead this group.  Pray for the Christian women from the church that they would be able to join - or even begin another group.

9 - Wednesday - Praise the Lord!  Ibro and Rachida are the proud parents of a sweet - and beautiful-- baby girl, named Aimee Joy.  Mother and child are doing fine.  Papa is so proud!

10 - Thursday - Pray for the government and leaders of Niger.  Pray that they would govern with wisdom and discernment, and in the best interests of the people.  Pray that Niger would remain stable and maintain it's stance on religious freedom.

11 - Friday - Yacouba, one of the babies that was treated at the medical clinic we had in October is still suffering some.  His mother is pregnant with the next baby, he is malnourished and weak from his bout with malaria. Pray for little Yacouba to gain his strength and grow to know Jesus as his personal Savior.

12 - Saturday - As many people come to our doors with physical needs pray that we would have discernment about how best to help meet those needs. Pray that the Zerma would understand their greatest need is to know the Savior.

13 - Sunday - Today pray for Pastor Tokyo as he ministers to his large village and meets with the church at his home.

14 - Monday -Continue to pray that both the missionaries and the Zerma Christians would have a burden for reaching the lost.  Pray that the Zerma Christians would have a vision for multiplying churches throughout Niger.

15 - Tuesday - Praise the Lord that Rahina is doing much better.  This is the little girl that was treated with cerebral malaria and typhoid during the medical clinic in October.  Pray that through the divine intervention of prayer and volunteers that she would come to know Jesus personally as her Lord and Savior.

16 - Wednesday - Pray for our ability to speak and understand the Zarma language.  Pray that we would continue to develop a knowledge and understanding of their culture and worldview.  Offer a praise to God that the sufficiency of Christ is adequate to break down any language or cultural barriers.

17 - Thursday - Pray for Mark and Rick as they will be attending a Business Facilitators Conference in Abidjan.  (Remember that Rick is still there from the Orientation!)  Pray for Deanna that she will be able to attend.  Pray for the kids - as we work with logistics of someone staying with them, schooling, etc.

18 - Friday - Pray for Zakery who is seeming to take a leadership role now that the Cimberro Bonjara has split into two churches.  He is leading the group that is meeting in Goudel.  Please pray for wisdom and the leading of the Holy Spirit as he teaches.

19 - Saturday - Pray for Salamatou as she tells Bible Stories at the Ouallam Church for the kids.  Pray for her to be able to share the truths in love and action.  She also leads the group in singing.  Thank the Lord for this willing servant.

20 - Sunday - Ask the Lord today to strengthen and encourage the small church in Ouallam. They have land and a building. Leadership is young and growing. Pray that God would raise up strong and spiritual leadership and that it would serve as a model for other churches in this part of Niger. Pray for Phil and Don as they seek ways to disciple and train leaders.

21 - Monday -Pray for Kimberly as she balances ministry, home school, and household chores.  Continue to pray for her study with Aissa.  Pray for Kimberly to have adequate preparation time and for Aissa to be receptive to the truth revealed in the Bible.

22 - Tuesday - Pray for the Mobile Outreach Center that the Bolls' are taking to villages.  Pray that Don and Teresa would be able to teach the necessary classes during these meetings.  Praise the Lord for this vision and for the villages that are interested in having the center to come with the classes.

23 - Wednesday - Thanks for praying for the group of young men Phil has been meeting with on Wednesdays.  The group has been consistent, with 10-12 guys coming regularly.  From a discussion/question time, it has turned into a new members class for the Ouallam church.  We will cover about 15 lessons on the fundamentals of the Christian faith.  Pray for these young men who have made decisions to follow Christ, that their faith would be strengthened.  Pray for those who have not made that decision, that they would open their hearts and minds to receive the Savior.

24 - Thursday - Please continue to pray for health.  This is a season of many illnesses: Rick has been ill with malaria, Mark has been ill with a blood infection, many have been ill with bronchial problems, colds and more. Please remember not only the missionaries but the nationals as well.  This is cold season and it is very cold, even though it is only about 55-60F. at night.  Please pray also for the family of Donna, a teacher that helped to coordinate the FES school which Caroline and many other home schooled kids attend.  Donna took ill during the December session and went home to be with the Lord.  Please pray for her family, many of whom are not Christian.  She was one of 12 children.  Donna was with SIL, a sister mission that works with translations and education.

25 - Friday - Pray for Teresa and Tanda as they study the Bible Stories. Thank you for your continued prayers - Tanda wanted Teresa to tell the stories to some of her friends in another part of Ouallam. Tanda helped teach much of the stories (PTL) and they have requested to continue the Story sessions.  Pray for Teresa to have the time and energy to share with these 4 different storying groups.
 
26 - Saturday - Pray for Moussa and Kadi as they minister and live among the people in Kwaara Taji.  Pray for Moussa as he leads the church, Kuroko Hanna.   (The Good shepherd)

27 - Sunday - As Cimberro Bonjara divides - pray that it will multiply. Cimberro Bonjara is the church that was meeting on the property owned by Southern Baptists.  We are now in the process of selling this property and the church will have to move.  Ibro has moved to Lazare and has purchased some land for the church to meet there.  This is several miles from many of the former members, who have found land in their neighborhood of Goudel and are making plans to begin a church there.  Pray for these two church starts.

28 - Monday -Pray for Caroline and Caleb as they grow up here as "3rd culture kids", neither fully American nor African.  Pray that they would incorporate the best of both cultures into their lives as they grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.

29 - Tuesday - Pray for Roukailla and Hadjara, young women in Teresa's literacy class.  During most meetings a Bible story is shared and discussed. Pray for these women as they are beginning to learn to read and are putting letters together to make words - then sentences.  As they read some of the Bible Stories, pray that they would understand the truths in the Holy Word.

30 - Wednesday - Pray for Teresa as she leads a group of young children in their weekly Kid's club on Wednesdays.  These young people are so eager and excited to learn of the many Bible Characters.  Pray that they would learn to learn the love of the Lord, and accept Jesus as their true God.

31 - Thursday - As most of you know, we have distributed many Bibles, audio tapes, and video cassettes of the Jesus film among the Zerma.  Pray that the gospel would be spread far and wide through these media.  Continue to pray that the living and active Word of God would penetrate the hearts and minds of the hearers.  Pray that the lives of those who read the Bibles and hear the tapes would be transformed.  Pray for the new Christians who are using these to study and learn about God, that their faith and convictions would be strengthened.